Metallic rod-packing.



No. 675,140. Patented May 28, I90I. T. G. SAXTON.

METALLIC- ROD PACKING.

(Application led Aug. 14, 1900. Renewed May 3, 1961.)

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llll ll UNTTED STATES PATENT Ormea.

THOMAS GUNNI SAXTON, OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO J. ROGERS BARR,OF SAME PLACE.

M ETALLIC ROD-PACKING.

Y SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent No. 67 5,140, dated May28, 1901.

Application tiled August 14, 1900. Renewed May 3, 1901. Serial No.58,663. (No model) To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, THOMAS GUNNI SAXTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lexington, in the county of Fayette and State ofKentucky,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in MetallicRod-Packing; and I do hereby declare the following'to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in rod-packing, and moreparticularly to metallic packing for piston-rods and Valve-stems.

The advantages of metallic or hard packing over soft packing are wellrecognized on account of the ready destructibility of the latter, whichresults in leakage and loss of power after short use and necessitatesfrequent removal and renewal of the packing material, and therefore manyconstructions have been devised employing metallic packing-rings inplace of soft packing; but such constructions have not generally met therequirements on account of their complexity and expense, inapplicabilityto the ordinary stufng-boxes of steam-engines, and the dif- Iiculty ofsufficiently lubricating the rod and packing, on account of which thepackingrings often become dry and adhere to the rod, causing muchfriction and loss of power and necessitating more frequent renewal ofthe packing-rings than is desirable.

The objects of my invention are to provide a simple and inexpensive buteffective duidtight metallic rod packing construction which may beplaced within an ordinary stuffing-box such as is generally employed forpacking rods with soft packing without requiring any alteration of thestufng-box or gland, and,further, to maintain an oil-bath for thepacking, whereby the packing-rings and the rod may be kept constantlylubricated.

The invention will rst be hereinafter more particularly described withreference tothe accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification, and then pointed out in the claims at the end of thedescription.

In said drawings, in which corresponding parts are designated by likeletters of reference in the several views, Figure 1 is a side elevation,principally in vertical section, of a stuffing-box, rod, and gland witha packing construction embodying myinvention applied thereto; and Fig. 2shows detailed views of the several parts constituting the said metallicconstruction.

The letter A in the drawings denotes the head of a steam-chest orcylinder; a, a stuffing-box thereon; B, a gland or follower to close thestuffing-box, and C a rod passing through the stuiing-box and follower.The stuffing-box and gland or follower B may be of the ordinary typeemployed for packing rods with soft material, the gland having acylindrical portion or projection b, which enters the annular recesswithin the stuflngbox around the rod, and said gland or follower B maybe secured within the stulingbox by any suitable means, as by the usualbolts d d, attached to the cylinder or steamchest head and enteringholes or eyes in the gland or ears of the gland or follower B and havingthreaded ends with fastening-nuts d d thereon to secure the gland orfollower in place.

Within the stuffing-box Iprovide a preferably cylindrical shell orpacking-cup E, snrrounding the rod and containing suitable rodpacking orpacking-rings, said cup or shell having one end interiorly contracted orreduced and also conical or tapered to the aperture c, through which therod passes, so as to form a seat or saucer c' for acorrespondingly-tapered packing-ring, and the opposite end threaded, asat e2, for engagement With a closing-cap or plugf, havinga cylindricalportion entering the shell or packing-cup. Said cylindrical portion ofthe cap or plugf may be exteriorly threaded to engage the threads in theshell or cup E or may be otherwise secured thereto. Within the shell orpackingcup E and in front of or adjoining the capf I provide a ring orpacking-saucer g, which may be interiorly conical or tapered, as at g',similarly to the seat or saucer e at the opposite end of the packing-cupor shell, to receive, like the 'said seat or saucer e', acorrespondingly-tapered packingring, the said ring or packing-saucer g'being introduced into the shell or packing-cup E before the IOO cap fandwith the conical or tapered seat or saucer g' facing the packing seat orsaucer e'. 'lhe packing-seat or saucer g' may be formed integrally withthe cap f, if desired, and the saucer or seat el may be a separate ring,like the ring g, secured within the shellE, though the arrangementdescribed is more desirable. The shell or packing-cup E may be furtherprovided with an annularseries of apertures e3 e3 about midway or at asuitable distance between the packing seatsor saucers c and g'ysaidapertures being designed to permit oil to drop into the shell or cup Efrom an oil cup or reservoir 7L on the stuffing-box, having an inlet orapertured stem h iitting an orifice in the stuffing-box in line with theapertures or oil-holes cg e3 of the shell or cup E. By this arrangementone or more of the oil-apertures e3 e3 will always lie under theoilinlet 7i', so that oil may continually feed into the shell orpacking-cup E and lubricate the rod and packing therein.

The letters it' denote suitable tapered or conical packing-rings fittedabout the rod C within the packing seats or saucers e' and g. 'lhe saidrings zT t' may be of any suitable construction, but are preferablysplit or divided at one or more points to adapt them to close about therod under pressure, or the Said rings may be formed of a number ofsections or segments, with integral portions of adjoining sectionsoverlapping when the sections of "the ring are placed together about therod, thus permitting the rings to be placed about vthe rod or removedtherefrom without disconnecting the rod from its cross-head rockerarm,or other connection.

The packing-rings i t' are adapted to be forced in opposite directionsby a spring or springs or other suitable means interposed therebetween,and on account of the tapered or conical surfaces of the rings and theirseats or saucers e' and g (the slant of said surfaces being preferablyat an angle of forty-five degrees to the axis of the rod C) the saidrings when forced apart will be caused to act equally against theirsaucers or seats e' and g and against the rod, thus producing aneffectual packing as well as rendering the rings self-compensating forwear. To force said rings 'L' t'apart, a spiral spring encircling therod may be employed; but I have shown an annulus or ring k, mounted onthe rod between the rings 'i t' and having a number of apertures k 7carranged annularly in its circumference, in which a number of springs ZZare iitted,so as to expand and yieldingly force the packing-rings apartwith sufficient. energy to keep the joint tight.

The shell or packing-cup E and the packing-rin gs inclosed therein areinserted within the stuffing box between the cylinder or steam-chesthead and the gland or follower I3; but in order to increase theefficiency of the construction I preferably provide additional packingat the inner end of the stuffing-box or next the cylinder or steam-chesthead and also at the outer or front end or next the gland or followerand which may consist of soft metallic packing -rings of any desiredform, though preferably at each of the ends mentioned I provide a splitpacking-ring m, embracing the rod and exteriorly tapered or conical,andasimilarlyinteriorly tapered ring or saucer n, incl'osing the ring m andfitting closely within the stuffing-box. The slant of the conical ortapered surfaces of the rings m m and a a may be at an angle offorty-five degrees to the axis of the rod C, similarly to the slant ofthe packing-rings t t' and seats or saucers e' g', and horizontal forcesexerted against the said rings m and n will cause them not only to actagainst each other, but the outer rings n n to act against the `interiorwalls of the stufting-box and the inner rings m on against the rod C,the rings mm and -n n being preferably split or divived to adapt them tocontract or expand more easily under pressure and render themself-compensating for wear.

The several parts described may be readily applied to a piston-rod orvalve-stem by slipping them over the rod into the stuffing-box,beginning with one of the packing-rings a and its iuclosed ring m,followed by the ishell or packing-cup E, a packing-ring z' fitting intothe seat or saucer e', the spring or springs for forcing thepacking-rings apart, the other packing-ring/ll and its saucerg fittingthereon, the cap f, and the rings m and n, and finally the gland orfollower B, which may be secured to the stuffing-box, with itscylindrical portion l) entering the stuffing-box and compressing theshell or packing-cup .E between the packing-rings m n at opposite ends,and causing said rings to act against the interior walls of thestuffing-box and the rod, as well as against each other. It will beapparent that with the above-described construction a thoroughlyeffective {luid-tight slidingjoint maybe continuouslymaintained.Moreover, by means of the oil-chambers pro- IIO vided around the shell Eand within the same beneath the packing-rings t t' and-the apertures e3c3 in the shell or packing-cup E, disposed between said packing-rings,the rodpacking may be kept constantly lubricated, maintaining what Iterm an oil-bath without waste of oil from the stuffing-box.' Theoil-passage h' for the oil cup or reservoir h may be formed in thestuiiing-box at a suitable point or position to permit the oil to dropinto the oil-apertures e3 e3 of the cup or shell E; or if the saidoil-passage 71,' be already formed in the stuffing-box the shell orpacking-cup E may be adjusted to bring the annular series ofoil-apertures e3 e3 bcneath the same by providing the packing orpacking-rings m and a of the desired width or adding other paeking-rings of suitable widths at the inner end of the stuiling-box betweenthe cylinder or steam-chest head and the said packingcup or shell E.

The device is simple and compact and may be applied to any piston-rod orvalve-stem in conjunction withv an ordinary stuffing-box without theexpense or alterations of procuring new constructions of stuffing-boxesand glands.

Having thus fully described myinvention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. In a rod-packing, the combination with a stuffing-box and glandtherefor, of a packing-cup within said stuffing-box, packingrings insaid cup, an oil-chamber intermediate the rings, means within thechamber for forcing the rings apart, and an oil-cup on the stufngboxcommunicating with said oilchamber, substantially as described.

2. In trod-packing, the combination with a stuffing-box and glandtherefor, of a packing-cup within said stuffing-box having confrontinginteriorlytapered packing seats, correspondingly-shaped packing-ringsfitting said seats, an annular oil-chamber intermediate said rings,means within the chamber for forcing the rings apart, and an oil-supplycommunicating with said chamber, substantially as described.

3. In a rod-packing, the combination with a stuffing-box and glandtherefor, of a packing-cup within said stuing-box having confrontinginteriorly tapered packing seats, correspondingly-shaped packing-ringsfitting said seats, an annular oil-chamber intermediate said ringsprovided with ports in its sides, means within the chamber for forcingthe rings apart, and an oil-cup on the studing-boX communicating withsaid ports, substantially as described.

4. In a rod-packing, the combination with a stuffing-box and glandtherefor, of a packing-cup contained in said box and having inclinedseats at or near each end thereof, one of which seats is removablyfitted in oneend of the cup, correspondingly shaped packingringsabutting said seats, an oil-chamber intermediate said rings, meanswithin the charnber for forcing the rings apart, and an oil-supplycommunicating with said chamber, substantially as described.

5. In a rod-packing, the combination with a stuffing-box and glandtherefor, of a packing-cup within said stuffing box, packingrings insaid cup, an oil-chamber intermediate the rings, springs within thechamber for forcing the rings apart, and an annulus or ring on the rodfurnishing a bearing for said springs, substantially as described.

6. In a rod-packing, the combination with a stuffing-box and glandtherefor, of a packing-cup within said stuftingbox, packingrings in saidcup, an oil-chamber intermediate the rings, springs within the chamberfor forcing the rings apart, and an annulus or ring on the rod havingapertures receiving one end of the springs, substantially as described.

7. In a rod-packing, the combination with the stuffing-box, rod andgland, of interiorlytapered packing-rings at or near the opposite endsof the stuffing-box, eXteriorly-tapered packing-rings fitting withinsaid first-mentioned rings about the rod, a packing-receptacleinterposed between the rings at the opposite ends of the stuffing-box,and having confronting packing-seats, together with rodpacking ringsfitting said seats, and means interposed between said last-namedpackingrings for forcing them apart, substantially as described.

8. In a rod-packing, the combination with the stuffing-box, rod andgland, of interiorlytapered packing-rings at the opposite ends of thestuiing-box, eXteriorly-tapered packingrings fitting within saidfirst-mentioned rings about the rod, a packing-cup interposed betweenthe rings at the opposite ends of the stuffing box having confrontinginteriorlytapered packing-seats, one of which is removably securedtherein, rod-packin g rings fitting within said seats and a spring orsprings interposed between said packing-rings for forcing them apart;said packingcup having oilports therein between the inclosed packing-.rings, and an oil-cup on the stuffing-box hav- `ing an outletcommunicating with said ports in the packing-cup,substantially asdescribed. 9. In a rod-packing, the combination with the stuffing-boxand gland secured thereto, of a packing cup or. receptacle within saidstuffing box containing slightly separated packing-rings, and meansinterposed between said rings for yieldingly forcing them apart, so asto compress the packing and provide an annular oil-chamber around therod between the rings; said packing-receptacle being of smaller diameterthan theinterior of the stuffing-box to provide an annular oil-chambersurrounding the saine, and having a series of ports affordingcommunication between said annular chambers, and an oil-cup on thestuffing-box communicating with said outer annular chamber,substantially as described.

10, In a rod-packing, the combination with the stuffing-box and glandsecured thereto, of a packing cup or receptacle within said stuffing boxcontaining slightly separated packing-rings and means interposed betweensaid rings for yieldingly forcing them apart so as to compress thepacking and provide an annular oil-chamber around the rod between therings; said packing-receptacle being of smaller diameter than theinterior of the stuffing-box to provide an annular oil-chambersurrounding the same, and having a series of ports affordingcommunication between said annular chambers, and an oil-cup on thestuing-box communicating with said outer annular chamber, whereby thepacking is submerged in oil, substantially as described.

11. In a rod-packing, the combination with the stuffing-box and glandsecured thereto, of a packing cup or receptacle within said stuffing boxcontaining slightly separated packing-rings, and means interposedbetween said rings for yieldingly forcing them apart,

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so as to compress the packing and provide an annular oil-chamber aroundthe rod between the rings; said packing-receptacle being?r of smallerdiameter than the interior of the stuffing-box to provide an annularoil-chamber surrounding the same, and having a series of port-saffording communica-tion between said annular chambers, and an oil-cupon the stuifing-box communicating with said outer annular chamber,together' with packing-rings on the rod at each end of thepacking-recepl i i tacle closing the ends of the annular chamber aroundthe saine, whereby the packingreceptacle and packing contained Withinand about the same may be enveloped in oil, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

THOMAS GUNNI SAXTON. lVitnesses:

R. C. SToLL, E. C. HATHAWAY.

